Actor says playing villain in Superman was his dream come true

Jun 13, 2013 19:41 GMT  ·  By
Michael Shannon as General Zod in “Man of Steel” official character poster
   Michael Shannon as General Zod in “Man of Steel” official character poster

“Man of Steel” brings more to the table than just the first British Superman: it also brings the amazing Michael Shannon in the villain role, which is like the perfect casting choice considering he’s so brilliant at doing deranged / dangerous roles.

However, this isn’t why he jumped at the chance when director Zack Snyder and producer Chris Nolan approached him, Shannon tells GQ.

“Are you kidding me? No way [I could have missed it], man. I couldn’t believe it was happening. I thought it was a practical joke. I thought for sure they’d want somebody maybe a little bit more prominent,” Shannon says.

He also explains that General Zod, as much of a villain as he is, has a softer, more “sympathetic” side as well.

“Well, I don’t think I’m gonna make anybody cry. When I saw it as a kid, Terence Stamp was just stone-cold terrifying. But you’re never really sure why he’s so mad. We were trying to answer that question. You may not feel bad for me, but every once in a while, you might think, He’s kinda got a point,” Shannon says.

The film also stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, and Russell Crowe.